Dr. Weiner cautions that the results need to be replicated by other labs and that the drug needs to be tested in humans, which will take years and a lot money. That said, he believes, “It’s a very interesting discovery.”

Nearly 6 million Americans have Alzheimer’s and one of them was KDKA-TV reporter David Highfield’s mother, Judy.

A former first grade teacher in Armstrong County, Judy loved crossword puzzles, drawing, music and most of all, she loved her husband, Larry, and her son.

Larry said he first noticed something was wrong at church when it was their turn take the collection plates around.

“She couldn’t remember what I told her, and I told her again,” said Larry. “I realized she couldn’t remember stuff.”

He says when they’d go out to dinner, she began just copying his order, and things escalated. She would ask, ‘Where are we going?’ And she would ask it again and again.

When the family learned it was in fact Alzheimer’s, she faced it bravely, and just as bravely, Larry made it his mission to care for her, which became an exhausting, non-stop job.

Judy would often sleep during the day and be up at night. She lost interest in reading or watching TV.

But, music remained the thing that made her smile. The family would spend hours playing the tunes she still remembered on their old piano. Music always put a sparkle in her eyes.

Over the years, it was clear the disease was progressing. As is common, she could still remember events from long ago, but not what happened five minutes ago.

She knew she was married to Larry, but a few times, she didn’t seem to recognize him.

She would ask, “Where’s Larry?” David would point at him, and she would still ask, “Where’s Larry?”

Family, neighbors and some wonderful caretakers allowed Larry to leave long enough to run errands. He says he couldn’t have gotten through it all without the family’s support, and the support of his church family.

“I’m so proud of how my dad cared for her in a loving and patient way,” David said.

(Photo Credit: David Highfield)

While they gave her medicine for Alzheimer’s, it was hard to tell if it did anything to slow the disease.

“We thought maybe the pills would make a miracle, and things would go away,” said Larry.

But, they never did.

The family doesn’t know if Judy even had the ApoE4 gene, but in any case, the latest research didn’t come soon enough.

In her final weeks, Judy had trouble swallowing food.

She struggled to remember the songs she used to love, and eventually didn’t even want to hear music at all.

There came a point when she could no longer walk on her own. She was unable to talk, but still communicated by snapping and winking.

She passed away nearly 10 years after her battle began.

“I hope they find a cure for this,” Larry said.

And he says he’s grateful for the moments of clarity she had. One happened just a few months before she passed away.

“You know what I remember more than anything lately?” he asked. “You know when I said good night, and we were ready to go to sleep, she said, ‘I love you. I love you. I love you.’ And I got to thinking maybe she isn’t completely gone.”